The earliest Inges apparently came to America
from England in about 1653. Most of these immigrants were likely
to have been indentured servants who received 50 acres of land from the
English Crown after completing their service. Michael and Vincent
were the earliest for whom there are property records in King William and
other counties inVirginia.
George Jennings Inge was born in Virginia
and married there in 1806 in Pittsylvania County. His first three
sons (Chesley, James, Braxton) and three daughters all migrated west to
Franklin County, Missouri, with or before their father who died there.
James Nashville Inge (1818-1880) purchased businesses
in Newton (now Jasper) County and in Neosha around 1840. He owned
a general store and was postmaster in Virginia Mines in Franklin County
in 1855, then postmaster in St. Clair from 1859 to 1874. He married
Mary E. Hibbard, daughter of one of the large landowners of the area.
The Inges apparently brought slaves with them from Virginia and some were
listed in the 1860 census. Slave descendants took the Inge name and
many still live in the area of Robertsville, Missouri.
Chesley B. Inge (1807-1869) was postmaster
of Virginia Mines from 1843 to 1849.
Braxton J. Inge was founder and served as
postmaster of Traveler's Repose (later St. Clair) from 1849 to 1859, not
far from Virginia Mines in Franklin County.